Apple have finally launched their much-hyped tablet computer. The iPad sports a 9.7-inch, multitouch screen powered by a custom processor running the same operating system as their iPhone. It looks a bit like a giant iPhone, but the screen adopts a 4:3 aspect ratio with a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels. Billed as a "magical and revolutionary device" by Steve Jobs, the unit is best described by what it doesn't have:

Multitasking

Like the iPhone, it can only run a single application at a time. It means, for example, a user cannot be having an instant message conversation or playing some music while surfing the web. For most, this startling omission is a deal breaker.

Adobe Flash

Despite being billed as the best way to surf the internet, it fails to include support for Adobe's Flash technology.

Camera

Multitouch technology makes the iPad great at manipulating images, but there is no camera with which to take them. Nor is there any webcam for video chat.

Battery

As with many other Apple devices, the battery isn't removable.

GPS

The large screen and map application makes the device seem perfectly-suited for navigation, but the lack of GPS makes this largely unworkable.

USB

There are no USB ports. Connecting a USB peripheral requires an adapter.

Open platform

As with all Apple technology, the device is burdened with proprietary hardware and software, as well as the usual Digital Rights Management-related stuff.

High definition

The 1024 by 768 pixel resolution allows for 720p high definition video, but cannot handle the 1080p accepted as the high definition standard. Nor is there an HDMI port.

OLED

Surely this would also have been a great opportunity for Apple to make use of OLED screen technology?

In conclusion, the iPad utterly fails to live up to the enormous amount of hype it has received, and it would not be wrong to say this is Apple's biggest product failure in decades.

Comments

I tried to comment on this earlier, but I don't think it posted, so I am giving it a go again, with a little more thought put into it then my rushed comment this afternoon.

Multitasking

You are a little off here. You can play music and do ANYTHING at the same time in the iPhone OS, except take a call. So yes, you can surf and listen, or email and listen. You can even surf, listen to the iPod and have your IM client alert you when you have a new message.

The iPhone OS can multitask fine. The limitation is that Apps in the App store can not multitask.

Adobe Flash

Personally, I don't care, I think FLash is on the way out, but I see a lot of people think it's a big thing. Much of Flash's use can be replaced with existing technology. The rest wouldn't work on an iPad anyway. People seem to forget that all the Flash games that people love to play are built for mouse clicks, not multi-touch interfaces.

Camera

I guess this would be cool. I can see it's use. But this is almost moot as the tear down of the iPad has already shown a camera casing, so I imagine it's only a matter of time.

Battery

I don't see this as an issue. I have had several iPods, an iPhone and my last 4 computer purchases have all been laptops and I have never switched a battery or even thought I might need to. And I am a geek who loves tech. The people this device is built for could care less about battery life and charging cycles.

GPS

A bit of a moot point if you have the 3G iPad. You can pinpoint yourself to within like 25 feet.

USB

Like the battery, I don't think anyone who this is being built for cares. Aren't we all trained at this point that we have to buy cables separately from our devices. Car chargers, camera connectors, printer cables...

Open platform

Another thing I don't get is the complaining about DRM for music and movies. Apple doesn't control it, publishers do. The browser is standards based as well.

Not being able to write your own Apps with out Apple's okay might suck, but that's an issue for developers, not buyers.

High definition

Well, 720p is HD. Even 576p is considered HD. Sure I'd love 1080p output, but there isn't the storage or processing power to do it.

The only people I see who seem to have problems with the iPad announcement are Flash developers and techie guys who throw around hardware specs. I think that if people stop comparing it to a computer and think of it as a device for consuming, not producing, content, and realize that it's built for people like my mom and not me, they will see a device that might be huge. Like huge, huge.

I think that you should be able to listen to music and then take a call because I know for a fact that my blackbery can do this and it is a nice feature. The iphone in my opinion is a better phone then the blackberry, but there are somethings that are missing from it like a flash for the camera.